Djibouti made its first Olympic appearance at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription.

To the south and southwest of the Gulf of Tadjoura, the vegetation is similar to that found in other arid regions of Africa, The Afar (Denakil, or Danakil) speak a language that forms a The Somali, who also speak an Eastern Cushitic language, are concentrated in the capital and the southeastern quarter of the country. Djibouti Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Djibouti’s capital, Djibouti city, is built on coral reefs that jut into the southern entrance of the gulf; other major towns are Obock, Tadjoura, Ali Sabieh, Arta, and Dikhil.

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Djibouti is about the size of New Jersey. Rimbaud lends his name to a cultural centre housing a small library and museum, on the grounds of which an annual music festival takes place.

Place Mahamoud-Harbi and the Great Mosque in Djibouti city, Djibouti. On the outskirts of the city, an expansive squatter Conditions in some of the densely populated quarters of

Barkat Gourad In the first years of self-government, though, ethnic tensions were evident.

Because of the many influences, Djibouti is a hodgepodge of ancient and modern. Their social identity is determined by clan-family membership. A multi-ethnic country, Djibouti enjoys a rich, interwoven culture based on tribal traditions. Djibouti was part of the French colony of Somaliland from 1888 to 1977.

The most popular sport in Djibouti is running, and during the 1980s Djiboutian runners enjoyed a considerable amount of success. By 1978 the state had experienced two Challenges to Djibouti’s stability could not be reduced to traditional Afar and Issa enmity; signs of the serious problems facing the young nation were also to be found in the urban demography of its capital.

In Djibouti it's common for taxi fares to go up after sunset, by about 50%.

For a more detailed treatment of earlier periods and of the country in its regional On June 27, 1977, the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became independent, taking the name Djibouti, with Djibouti’s balanced posture in external relations was reflected in its internal politics. social and cultural similarities between originally nomadic-pastoral populations that speak related languages, adhere to Islam, and share a way of life. Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn! The capital is the site of a modern deepwater port that serves The country is internationally renowned as a geologic treasure trove. In the northern portion of the country, one finds the ancient Day Forest National Park and a variety of tree species, such as jujube, fig, olive, juniper, and momosa.

The arts and cultural institutions Among students of literature, Djibouti is best known for having been the sometime home of the French poet Arthur Rimbaud, who lived in Djibouti for several years. Taxi fares at night in …

Gouled, an Issa Somali, was elected to two consecutive terms as president in 1981 and 1987. The country is completely devoid of any permanent above-ground rivers, although some subterranean rivers exist.The average annual precipitation is limited and is usually spread over 26 days. In 1967, Djibouti was renamed the ‘French Territory of the Afars and the Issas’ before becoming the fully independent... 3. Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn! Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.The country’s Lilliputian aspect belies its regional and geopolitical importance. 17 interesting facts about Djibouti 1. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Located at a triple juncture of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and East African rift systems, the country hosts significant seismic and geothermal activity.

More than half the Somali belong to the One outcome of this erratic rainfall pattern is periodic flash floods that devastate those areas located at sea level.Despite Djibouti’s relatively harsh landscape, abundances of flora and fauna abound. Different regions of the country receive varying amounts of precipitation: the coastal regions receive 5 inches (130 mm) of rainfall per annum, while the northern and mountainous portions of the country receive about 15 inches (380 mm). The wealth brought by Djibouti's seaports unite the inhabitants, who share the idea of being an island of relative stability

The culture of the Republic of Djibouti is diverse, due to the nation's Red Sea location at a crossroads of trade and commerce. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.

Djibouti Is a Gateway to Africa for the Arabian Peninsula. Djibouti facts about the geography of … Graduate student in anthropology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville. The remaining portion of the population consists of Ethiopians, Europeans and Arabs. Slight tremors are frequent, and much of the terrain is littered with basalt from past Besides Lake Assal, the other major inland body of water is Lake Abbe, located on Djibouti’s southwestern border with Ethiopia.

The country’s culture is highly influenced by its ethnic clusters, with the dominant groups being the Afar and Issa-Somali.

Field researcher in Djibouti, 1984 and 1987–88. Djibouti is very diverse, thanks to its strategic geographic location, which has been (and still is) a crossroad of trade and commerce.